Honestly, if you thought Alice Cooper was just going to coast on "Poison" and "School's Out" for the rest of his natural life, you haven't been paying attention. The Alice Cooper setlist 2025 has turned out to be a total curveball, especially for those of us who have seen him ten times and can usually predict exactly when the guillotine is coming out.
It's 2026 now, but looking back at that 2025 run—specifically the "Too Close for Comfort" extension and that massive co-headlining trek with Judas Priest—Alice did something he rarely does. He dug deep. I’m talking "songs-he-hasn't-touched-since-the-Nixon-administration" deep.
The Big Shakeup: Alice Cooper Setlist 2025 Breakdown
The 2025 shows were split into a few distinct vibes. You had the solo "Too Close for Comfort" dates in the spring and summer, and then that heavy-hitting fall tour with Judas Priest where the setlist got a serious "metal" makeover.
If you caught him on that fall run, which kicked off in Biloxi, Mississippi, you witnessed the live debut of "Dangerous Tonight." Can you believe that? A track from 1991’s Hey Stoopid that he just... never played. Until now. Nita Strauss apparently pushed for that one, and thank God she did. It sounds massive live.
📖 Related: Alfonso Cuarón: Why the Harry Potter 3 Director Changed the Wizarding World Forever
Then there were the "deep cuts" that made the die-hards lose their minds. "Second Coming" from the 1971 Love It to Death album surfaced as a brief instrumental leading into the execution sequence. He also pulled out "Who Do You Think We Are" for the first time since 2004. It wasn't just a greatest hits loop; it felt like a curated journey through the Alice Cooper Group's history.
The Standard 2025 "Priest Tour" Set
When he was sharing the stage with Judas Priest, the set had to be leaner and meaner. It was about 75 minutes of pure adrenaline. Here is what a typical night looked like:
- Hello, Hooray (Intro only – the classic grand opening)
- Who Do You Think We Are (A total shocker from Special Forces)
- Spark in the Dark (First time played since 1990!)
- No More Mr. Nice Guy
- House of Fire
- I'm Eighteen
- Muscle of Love (Always a treat to hear that riff)
- Feed My Frankenstein
- Clones (We're All) (A 1980 New Wave gem he hasn't touched in over a decade)
- Caught in a Dream
- Hey Stoopid
- Dangerous Tonight (The big live debut)
- Poison
- Brutal Planet
- Ballad of Dwight Fry (The straightjacket classic)
- Cold Ethyl
- Only Women Bleed
- Second Coming / Going Home (The "execution" music)
- School's Out (Usually mashed up with a bit of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall")
Why 2025 Felt Different
Most legacy acts get comfortable. They find twenty songs that work and they play them until the heat death of the universe. But Alice—or rather, the Coop—seems to be in this weirdly creative late-stage era.
👉 See also: Why the Cast of Hold Your Breath 2024 Makes This Dust Bowl Horror Actually Work
Working with the current band, which includes Nita Strauss, Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen, Chuck Garric, and Glen Sobel, has clearly given him the itch to experiment. They aren't just session musicians; they are a unit that can handle the complex, theatrical stuff from the early 70s and the industrial grit of the Brutal Planet era.
One thing that surprised people about the Alice Cooper setlist 2025 was the lack of new material. Despite his 2023 album Road being a solid tribute to his touring life, he only sprinkled in "Welcome to the Show" or "I'm Alice" during the solo headlining dates. By the time the Priest tour rolled around, the new stuff was largely benched in favor of those "Special Forces" and "Zipper Catches Skin" era rarities. It was a "gift for the fans" kind of year.
The Theatrical Staples
Of course, you can't have an Alice show without the vaudeville horror. Even with the shifting song choices, the "hits" that anchor the theatrics stayed put.
✨ Don't miss: Is Steven Weber Leaving Chicago Med? What Really Happened With Dean Archer
- The Straightjacket: Always during "Ballad of Dwight Fry."
- The Guillotine: This remains the climax of the "Second Coming" segment.
- The Giant Frankenstein: A staple for "Feed My Frankenstein," though sometimes he switches it up with a giant syringe or other props depending on the tour's specific theme.
Dealing with the "Best Of" Fatigue
There’s always a bit of a debate among "Sick Things" (that’s what the fans call themselves, FYI) about whether Alice should play more new music. In 2025, he mostly ignored the recent studio albums. Honestly? I'm okay with it. When you have a catalog that spans over 50 years, hearing "Spark in the Dark" for the first time in 35 years is way more exciting than hearing a new track that sounds like a retread of his 80s work.
Practical Tips for the Next Tour
If you missed the 2025 shows and are looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, there are a few things to keep in mind. Alice is 77 now, but he shows zero signs of slowing down.
- Check the support act: If he’s headlining, you get the full 90-minute to 2-hour spectacle. If he’s co-headlining (like he did with Rob Zombie or Judas Priest), the set is shorter and usually focuses on the heavier hits.
- Watch the intros: In 2025, he used "Hello, Hooray" as a tease. He often changes the intro song every tour cycle to signal the "theme" of that year’s show.
- Nita's Solo: Keep an eye out for the guitar solo section. It’s not just a bathroom break; it’s usually where the band shows off some of the most technical musicianship of the night.
The Alice Cooper setlist 2025 proved that the architect of shock rock isn't done surprising us. Whether it’s pulling a deep cut from a "blackout" era album or finally debuting a song fans have begged for since the 90s, he still knows how to keep the nightmare fresh.
Keep an eye on official tour announcements for late 2026. The best way to prep is to familiarise yourself with the Special Forces and Flush the Fashion albums, as he seems to be in a mood to revisit those weirder, experimental records lately. Also, make sure to follow the band members on social media; they often drop hints about what songs they’ve been rehearsing weeks before the tour actually starts.